School AU
by cristinaandmeredith
Summary: *leading to Christmas chapters*
1. Chapter 1

The blonde girl was walking in the cafeteria, absently looking in front of her. She was wearing a grey t-shirt, some washed up jeans, and a pair of black converse. Everything she was wearing was against the boarding's school dress code. The school year had started three months before and her uniform had never been worn. Even at 10 years old she knew that her mother was too well known to have her kicked out of the school for something as simple as a dress code.

There was a sudden bang in front of her followed by two different voices yelling: "Freak!" "Bitch!"

She looked up and saw a tray on the floor next to one of the tables. She took the tray and put it back on the table in front of this girl with really messy and curly black hair. She was wearing the school's uniform; but instead of the required black tie, she was wearing a red one.

"Why can't you mind your own business? What is your problem?" was the girl's first reaction; she looked kind of pissed off.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to…"

"No, I'm sorry! I'm not used to people being nice around here." the other girl said looking around the room.

The blonde suddenly realizing that the girl in front of her was sitting alone at this big table that could easily fit 6 people. She was a loner herself, but at least she wasn't being treated like crap. This was another perk of being her mother's daughter.

"Can I sit here?" she asked.

"If you don't mind sitting at the freak table."

"I don't care what those people think." said while sitting down. "My name is Meredith, by the way. What's yours?"

"Cristina. Cristina Yang."

Cristina took a banana from her tray, it had a needle sticking out of it.

"What are you doing?" Meredith asked.

"I'm suturing a banana. I'm practicing for when I become a cardiothoracic surgeon."

"Really? I'm going to have to become a surgeon too… I guess! My mom is one." She rarely mentioned her mother.

"Your mom is a surgeon? There aren't many female surgeons in the country. What's her name? Maybe I've heard of her." Cristina never talked that much, except when it came to surgery.

"Ellis Grey." Meredith almost whispered.

"Your mom is Ellis Grey?! I'm so jealous. She is a rock star!" Cristina couldn't contain her excitement.

"Yeah. She is a rock star to anyone who doesn't have to have her as a mother." Meredith rolled her eyes. "Can we change the subject?"

"Sure." Cristina was kind of disappointed by her response, but she knew it was never easy when it came to family.

It had been roughly a year since her biological father had died in a car accident they were both involved in. Even though her parents had divorced long before the accident, and her mom had remarried when she was three, Cristina wasn't still used to having a stepfather. Dr. Saul Rubenstein: he was the reason why she should go to this school.

Cristina couldn't think of another subject, when Meredith interrupted her train of thoughts.

"Could you teach me those stitches?" asked pointing at the banana in the other girl's hands. Ellis never had time for her, let alone teach her stitches.

"Okay! Go get another banana and I'll show you.'

"Thank you!" replied Meredith. She got up and walked toward the fruit counter.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been two weeks since their first meeting; they had had lunch together at the same table ever since.

Cristina approached the table holding a tray with her lunch and two bananas on the the side. They had been practicing together every day.

Meredith was already sitting with her lunch in front of her, waiting for her new friend.

"Hey!" Cristina greeted her.

"Hey! Did you get the bananas? I couldn't find any."

"Yeah. They are here!" Cristina replied placing her tray on the table and sitting down next to Meredith. They had all those seats available, but they always sat right next to each other, no matter who was there first.

They both started eating when Meredith asked: "Are you going home for Christmas?"

"I don't think so. I usually spent it with my father." Cristina stopped talking for a second remembering all those Christmas spent with her dad, then she continued: "Plus my mom and my stepfather don't celebrate it."

Meredith nodded. Cristina had explained her about the accident.

"Are you? Going home, I mean." Cristina asked.

"I don't think so. My mom is always busy working, even on Christmas." That wasn't completely true: Ellis always forced her to go at some colleague of her's Christmas party; but she was planning on asking her mother to let her stay there this year.

"Cool! If you stay here too we'll have more time to practice on our stitches."

Cristina was relieved by the idea of not having to spend the holidays alone.

Meredith smiled hoping Ellis wouldn't force her to go home.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day Meredith called her mother. She had to call her really early in the morning or she wouldn't find her at home.

"Mom?"

"Meredith? Why are you calling me?" she always sounded annoyed when Meredith called her.

"I wanted to ask you something. Remember my new friend, Cristina? The one I told you about?" They weren't really that close; she had told Ellis about Cristina one time she had come to the school to sign some paperwork and Meredith didn't know what to talk about.

"Did you call me to ask me if I remember about your friend? I don't have time for this."

"No! I wanted to ask you if I could stay here for the holidays and keep her company."

"What about the Christmas party? They'd want to see you there with me. They can't handle a woman surgeon without kids."

"But mom… Those parties are always so boring." Meredith complained.

"Okay, whatever! Stay there. I don't care. I'm late for work." was Ellis final response. Meredith didn't have time to say anything that Ellis had already hung up the phone.

Meredith was too excited about the news that she couldn't wait lunch to tell Cristina. She walked to her friend's room and stood besides the bed. She could never say if Cristina was in her bed or not. It was a huge bundle of blankets and pillows.

"Why are you standing there?" Cristina's voice came from under the bundle.

"I am staying here for the holidays." Meredith exclaimed.

"Didn't you tell me that yesterday?"

Meredith didn't want to admit that she had to convince her mother to stay to keep her company.

"Yeah…"

"What time is it anyway? You are still in your pjs!" Cristina asked while turning the clock on her nightstand toward her.

"It's 5:47. Are you crazy? Go back to sleep."

"Okay." Mer said laying next to Cristina on the bed.

"I didn't mean h…" Cristina didn't even finish her sentence that she was already sleeping.


	4. Chapter 4

It was Christmas eve morning, they were both sitting in front of the fireplace in the common area, reading some medical books they had taken from the library. Surgery was all they talked about. It wasn't easy to find other 10 year olds interested in it, so both Meredith and Cristina were glad they had found each other.

"So, I was thinking…" Meredith was the one speaking. "Maybe we could have a sleepover in my room tonight. Since tomorrow it's Christmas and whatever."

"If you don't mind me messing all your blankets." said Cristina.

Meredith replied by just sticking out her tongue.

The next morning, as soon as they both woke up around 10 o'clock, Meredith remembered about the package Ellis had sent her a few days before.

"Do you want to see my new ugly sweater? My mom always has a nurse pick up gifts for me."

Cristina nodded still half asleep.

Meredith got out of bed and sat on the floor. As soon as she opened the package, the first thing she saw was a piece of paper with Ellis' handwriting.

"That's weird."

"What?"

"Seems like my mother chose the gift herself this year." She started it, when her face became red with anger.

"Mer? What is it? What did she write?"

Meredith was so focused on the the note that she didn't hear Cristina getting out of bed and walking toward her. She sat on the floor next the Meredith and took the piece of paper from her friend's hands.

"I'm still disappointed at you for deciding to not come home for the Christmas party." Cristina started reading out loud. "But it's time for you to start learning how to be a good surgeon. I got a present for your friend too, because we need more female surgeons.

Ellis."

Cristina took her eyes off the note and looked at Meredith. Her face was still red, but this time it was from embarrassment.

"I thought your mom was okay with you staying here."

"Nope."

"So, why did you stay?"

Meredith looked away.

"Was it because of me? You didn't have to."

"Of course I had to. You are my best friend!"

"I am?" Cristina was surprised by that answer.

"Yeah, you are. Whatever!"

"Whatever."

There was a short silence between the two when Meredith said: "Should we open the gifts?"

"Okay!"

They both looked inside the open package between them and took one wrapped gift each.

"It's a suture kit!" they exclaimed at the same time.

"Best gift ever!" said Cristina. Meredith smiled and replied with a simple "Merry Christmas."


End file.
